“For the love of Pete, Teddy, we haven’t got a chance in this darkness! There may be half a dozen men around here, waiting for us to separate so they can pot us off. Let’s stick together, anyhow.”
“Where are the others?” Teddy had one hand on Flash’s neck. “We’ll never get this chance again, Roy! Shall we let that scoundrel get away? Snakes, we could track him! Easy!”
“Not so easily! Now listen. Let’s see where Nick and Silent are. Then we’ll have a look at the paper—tied to the stone.”
There was a crashing in the brush near them and both boys faced quickly about, their guns leveled.
“Speak up!” Roy shouted sternly. “Who’s there?”
“Nick,” came the answer. “Silent with you?”
“No, I thought—” Roy, raising his voice, called: “Hey, Silent! Over this way!”
They waited. There was no reply.
“He’s around some place,” Teddy said anxiously. “If any one is waiting to knock us off, they know where we are, so a little more noise won’t hurt. Hey, Silent!”
Still no answer. They listened carefully to hear if any one was walking near them, but no footsteps disturbed the stillness.